Images evoke emotions, but not if they are printed poorly. Printing photos can be tricky, but they do not have to be. There are a number of tips to remember to get the best possible photos from your printer.
Printing photos is no longer relegated to professionals. Today you can easily print photos from your home or business printer. I have put together a list of five tips to help you print better photos. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Choose the Right Print Size
It is important to make sure that you choose the best print size for your photo. Each photo is different and requires the right amount of pixels in the image file for the printed photo to be as clear as possible. A good rule of thumb is to be sure to have a minimum of 200 dots per inch (dpi) for acceptable image quality, and at least 300 dpi for excellent print quality. Simply divide pixel size by 200 or 300 depending on the print quality you want.
It is easy to find the pixels for your photo by right-clicking on the image, choosing properties and then click the details tab. In this tab you will find the width and height of the video listed in pixels. Let’s say your photo is 4000 by 3400 pixels. Dividing the dimensions by 200 would give you 20 by 17. Dividing by 300 would give you 13 by 11.
2. Pick the Right Paper
While plain paper is perfect for printing text it is horrible for photos. Your best choice is to pick the photo paper recommended by the printer manufacturer. There are a wide variety of photo papers on the market. The common ones are glossy and semi-glossy (also called matte). Glossy is shiny and helps to make your photos come to life. The downside of glossy paper is that it can generate glare in direct sunlight and can smudge easily. Matte paper offers a less shiny and smudgy photo paper option.
3. Use the Manufacturer’s Ink
There are a variety of OEM ink options for your printer that are perfect for printing text. I recommend using the ink recommended by your printer’s manufacturer. These inks are specifically designed to work with your printer and will help insure your photos are vibrant and have the right amount of punch.
4. Verify the Print Settings
It is important always be sure to check the printer settings before printing. This includes making sure that the paper is loaded correctly. Photo paper is designed to be printed on a specific side which allows for the ink to properly absorb. Your photo will not come out good if you do not have the paper loaded correctly. In addition, be sure that you have selected the proper paper type in your printer settings.
5. Maintain Your Printer
Just like a car, your printer needs preventative maintenance on occasion. This means making sure that your print nozzles are cleaned as well as running a head cleaning once every other month.
The above tips will help you bring your photos to life. Be sure to contact us for any more questions about printing photos and how our printers can help.
